dark web

Rui Carvalho, Chair of the EAST Payments Task Force (EPTF), attended the 5th Virtual Currencies Conference organised by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) in The Hague (from 19-21 June 2018). Over 300 participants from 40 countries attended the event, which focused on cryptocurrencies and how to foster the legitimate use of this virtual monetary system which is often abused by hackers, international drug dealers and the money movers of organised crime.

While the majority of participants came from law enforcement agencies and public prosecutors’ offices, key experts from well-known cryptocurrency services were also in attendance – the companies, who work closely with law enforcement agencies, foster the legitimate use of virtual currencies by implementing strong Know Your Customer (KYC) policies. Private sector participants included Bitcoin.de, Bitfinex, BitPanda, Bitstamp, BitPay, Blockchain.info, CEX, Coinfloor, Coinhouse, Cryptopia, Cubits, Kraken, LocalBitcoins, OKCoin, SpectroCoin and Xapo.

This year twelve operational case studies were presented, where suspects were detected through cryptocurrency tracing, including phishing incidents, DDoS extortion, take downs of dark web marketplaces and malicious cryptocurrency mining. The legitimate use of blockchain technologies was also discussed, including the use of cryptocurrencies for trading/investment activities, payment methods for goods and services and as a store of value.

In order to practically demonstrate the benefits of the tamper-proof decentralised ledger technology, all speakers received Europol’s certificates permanently stored and fully traceable within Bitcoin blockchain. Europol therefore became the first law enforcement organisation to award active participants blockchain validated certificates.

Subscribe to EAST Monthly Updates

The twelfth meeting of the EAST Expert Group on ATM and ATS Physical Attacks (EGAP) took place on Wednesday 4th September 2019 in The Hague. EAST EGAP is a European specialist expert forum for discussion of ATM and ATS related physical attack trends, attack methodologies and counter-measures, threat protection, and for the provision of regularly updated […]

Act now to save your place for the ATM Physical Attacks Seminar that will be held by the EAST Expert Group on ATM & ATS Physical Attacks (EGAP) on 9th October 2019. ATM PHYSICAL ATTACKS SEMINAR- PROGRAMME UPDATE Sarah Staff of SaferCash will provide a National Threat Assessment for the UK and will also co-Chair […]